Pump controller system and method

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a pump control system. One or more embodiments of the invention include a pump controller that can perform a self-calibrating procedure, can provide precise motor speed control, can provide a limp mode before shutting down the motor when system parameters are exceeded and/or fault conditions occur, can detect fault conditions, and can store fault conditions for later retrieval.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of detecting a fault condition in a motor of a pump in a pool or spa system, the method comprising:
 measuring a bus voltage being provided to the motor to drive the pump in the pool or spa system; 
 generating a fault condition code if the bus voltage is greater than an upper limit or less than a lower limit; 
 shutting down a drive to the motor for a single time interval of substantially 30 seconds after the fault condition code is generated in order to stop the pump when the bus voltage is greater than the upper limit or less than the lower limit; and 
 automatically restarting the drive to the motor after the single time interval of substantially 30 seconds has elapsed. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  and further comprising generating a fault condition code if the bus voltage is greater than about 450 volts or less than about 250 volts. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  and further comprising indicating to a user that a fault condition code has been generated.